Verskroeideaardebeleid


Die Verskroeideaardebeleid is aanvanklik deur lord Roberts ingestel en later deur Horatio Kitchener uitgebrei gedurende die Tweede Vryheidsoorlog.

Resultaat van die verskroeideaardebeleid

Lord Roberts het op 16 Junie 1900 die volgende proklamasie (No 5/1900) uitgevaardig:

Whereas small parties of raiders have recently been doing wanton damage to public property in the Orange River Colony and South African Republic by destroying railway bridges and culverts and cutting the telegraph wires, and whereas such damage cannot be done without the knowledge and connivance of the neighbouring inhabitants and the principle civil residents in the districts concerned;

Now, therefore, I, Frederick Sleigh, Baron Roberts, of Kandahar and Waterford, K.P., G.C.B., G.C.S.I., G.C.I.E., Field-Marshal, Commander-in-Chief of Her Majesty's Troops in South Africa, warn the said inhabitants and principle civil residents that, whenever public property is destroyed or injured in the manner specified above, they will be held responsible for aiding and abetting the offenders. The houses in the vicinity of the place where the damage is done will be burnt and the principle civil residents will be made prisoners of war.

Roberts, Field-Marshal, Commander-in-Chief, South Africa. Army Head-quarters South Africa, Pretoria 16th June 1900.

Volgens hierdie beleid is byna al die Boere se plaashuise verbrand, vee doodgemaak, lande verbrand en die vroue en kinders is na konsentrasiekampe toe gestuur. In die kampe was daar onvoldoende kos en mediese dienste en in 1901 het ongeveer 25 000 kinders en 3 000 vroue in hierdie kampe gesterf.